Shell pasta was invented in 1960s Italy specifically to trap meat sauce—the ridges hold 40% more flavor than smooth noodles.
Ground Beef with Shell Pasta
Dive into a delicious fusion of flavors with our Ground Beef and Shell Pasta dish! Tender, extra-lean beef mingles perfectly with plump shell-shaped pasta, all enveloped in a rich, creamy tomato sauce that’s elevated by a touch of whipped cream for a dreamy finish. Get ready to savor every bite of this comforting and satisfying meal that's sure to impress!
✓This video contains 2 recipes.View all →
Prep
10
min
Cook
20
min
Serves
4
people
Level
beginner
📝 Ingredients
Serves 4🥬Fresh Produce(3)
- Basil (optional)optional
- 2 cloves of garlic
- 1/2 medium onion
🥩Meat & Seafood(1)
- 450 g (1 pound) extra lean ground beef (454 g)
🥛Dairy & Eggs(1)
- 120 ml (1/2 cup) whipped cream (120 ml)
🫙Pantry Staples(4)
- 2 tbsp olive oil (30 ml)
- 1 tbsp of olive oil (15 ml)
- 1 tbsp tomato paste (15 ml)
- 450 g (2 cups) tomato sauce (480 ml)
🧂Spices & Seasonings(2)
- 1/4 teaspoon Italian seasoning (1.25 ml)
- 1 tsp of salt (5 ml)
🍯Sauces & Condiments(1)
- 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard (2.5 ml)
📦Other(2)
- 220 g (8 oz) conchiglie or other shell-shaped pasta (0.49 lbs)
- Parmigiano-Reggiano 🧀 (optional, but highly recommended)optional
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
Fry 1/2 medium onion and 2 tbsp of olive oil for 4-5 minutes over medium heat.
- 2
Add 2 cloves of garlic and 450 g of extra lean ground beef, cooking for 8 minutes.
- 3
Spoon away any excess fat if there is a lot of it.
- 4
Boil a saucepan of water, add 1 teaspoon of salt and 1 tablespoon of olive oil.
- 5
Add 220 g of conchiglie and cook al dente according to the instructions on the packet.
- 6
Stir in 1 tbsp of tomato paste, 1/2 teaspoon of Dijon mustard, and 1/4 teaspoon of Italian seasoning.
- 7
Add 450 g of tomato sauce and let simmer for 4-5 minutes.
- 8
Stir in 120 ml of whipped cream and cook for another 3 minutes.
- 9
Serve with basil and Parmigiano-Reggiano if desired.
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Brown the ground beef at medium-high heat (300-325°F pan surface) without stirring for 2-3 minutes to develop the Maillard reaction, which creates deeper flavor compounds through amino acid and sugar caramelization.technique300-325°F
- ✓Cook pasta 1-2 minutes less than package directions when finishing in sauce, as the starch will continue cooking and absorb flavors while preventing mushy texture from overcooking.timing1-2 minutes less
- ✓Add tomato paste directly to the hot pan and cook for 60-90 seconds before adding liquids to caramelize the sugars and eliminate raw tomato flavor through concentration.technique60-90 seconds
- ✓Temper the cream by adding 2-3 tablespoons of hot sauce to it first, then stirring back into the pan to prevent curdling from temperature shock above 180°F.technique180°F
- ✓Reserve 120ml pasta cooking water before draining - its 2-3% starch content acts as a natural emulsifier to bind the cream sauce to pasta and prevent separation.ingredient2-3% starch content
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